Chapter 64: On the Road Again
Delia was sound asleep when all of a sudden she was woken by a thrashing Alistair. She quickly jumped out of the bed to avoid being struck by his arms which were whipping from side to side. He seemed to be saying something about darkspawn and the archdemon. Worried he might hurt himself, she climbed on top of him and tried to pin his arms to his side, taking a nasty blow to the side of her head in the process.
"Alistair, wake up! You're having a nightmare… wake up!" Her words were getting her nowhere, so she ran to the water pitcher and poured a glass of water. As she dumped the contents onto her husband, he woke from his dream, wiping the water from his face.
"Hey, what was that for? I can't believe you just poured water on me!"
"It was either that or let you beat me to a pulp. You didn't tell me you had such vicious nightmares. I may need to see Wynne." Delia walked to the mirror to examine her face. Her eye was swelling already.
"I hit you? Really? Let me see…" He stood and walked behind her, examining the bruise in the mirror from behind her. "Ouch… I'm sorry, I didn't know my nightmares were violent." He grabbed a healing poultice from his pack and led her to a chair. "Allow me to mend the damage at the very least."
Alistair applied the poultice very gently while he liberally sprinkled the rest of her face with soft kisses.
"Do you have these nightmares often? I might have to start wearing that awful helm that Zevran bought for me back in the hills to protect myself while we sleep." She smiled at him teasingly.
"Perish the thought! I'll not allow my wife's beauty to be hidden from me when we share our bed. But I do have the nightmares a bit often. It's another Grey Warden thing. We sort of… see the archdemon and the darkspawn. I've been told its worse during a Blight, so hopefully after this is over I won't have them so often. I am terribly sorry for hurting you, my love. You know I would never do that purposefully, don't you?" He kissed her again on her forehead before she took his face between her hands and kissed him on his lips.
"I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I have to admit, though, that your healing process is far more interesting than Wynne's."
Alistair chuckled deep in his throat and motioned toward the bed. "I could show you even more interesting ways of ministering to you, my dear."
Delia sighed. "Unfortunately, we'll have to see what you can do tonight in our tent. We have to pack and be ready for the road before Aeden sends out a search party. You know he'll send Zev, and he'll want to be between us in bed, and he'll spoil all our fun."
"Maker, never!" Alistair laughed loudly. "Alright, alright, I'll behave myself and behave like a good Grey Warden. But I won't like it!"
"No one said you had to like it," she purred into his ear. "We must take our pleasure when we can, and be responsible when we must."
The two dressed and packed their belongings. Delia carefully folded her wedding dress and Alistair's doublet and put them in the trunk to be carried in the cart. Both Delia and Alistair double checked their potion supplies and made note of anything they needed to resupply. Once they were ready, they walked downstairs to breakfast.
Deirdre had once again outdone herself. She cooked everything the party members had mentioned they especially liked. Each one of them left the house with a full stomach and a happy heart. She didn't forget the dogs – they were each given a hearty meal of leftover mutton.
As the wardens' companions said their goodbyes to their dwarven hosts, Delia took Griffon aside.
"Griff, I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I have come to think of you as my own. I don't want to take your feelings for granted, though, so I wanted to ask you what you want." The deer hound looked at her with his head cocked to the side, as if he didn't understand what she meant. "You have a choice, my friend. You may stay here at Warden House or you may come with us. It is your choice, and I wouldn't blame you at all if you preferred the comfort of staying here over the fighting and dangers we will face."
Griffon stood up and walked to her. He started to lick her face and then jumped around her excitedly. Delia laughed at him. "I guess that means you're coming with us. Thank you, Griffon. It will be good to have you with us." She hugged the deer hound tightly, and then walked to her fellow wardens. They were standing with their host family.
As they said their goodbyes and thanked their hosts, Jessop had a very sad look on his face. Delia knelt down next to the boy and took his hand in hers.
"You will miss Griffon, I bet." He nodded sadly as the dog nuzzled his other hand. "You have been a very good friend to him, but he wants to come with the wardens. However, I promise that we will make every effort to come visit, and maybe someday you can come to Denerim to visit us there."
He looked up at her. "Do you really mean that? We could come to the city?"
"I would love it. We'll stay in touch with your parents, but we must defeat the Blight first. That may take a while, you understand that don't you?"
"Yes'm. I would like to see you, Griff an' the wardens again. But I know you have to fight first." He knelt down and gave Griffon a hug around the big dog's neck. "I'm gonna miss you, Griff, but you fight hard for Delia an' keep her safe." Griffon licked his face and the boy ran back into the house.
The wardens and their friends mounted and started their journey to Redcliffe Castle. Although it was cold, the snow had melted and the ground refrozen so that travel was relatively easy. Aeden decided to set up camp in a glen that he estimated was approximately a half day's travel from the castle. The group immediately fell back into their routine for setting up the camp, although they made the fire a bit larger than normal to provide extra warmth.
Leliana and Aeden left the group to hunt and returned with several rabbits. Wynne volunteered to cook and before long they had a tasty rabbit stew. It was hard to tell if her companions appreciated Wynne's cooking prowess or if it was simply that they were eating something hot to help warm them, but everyone's mood improved dramatically once they had eaten. Sten, Oghren, Morrigan and Shale volunteered to take the night watches so most of the members of the encampment retired to their tents early in an attempt to stay warm.
Alistair and Delia entered their tent shivering. "Maker, I forgot how cold it gets out here. I think I've been spoiled, especially the last couple of nights." He grinned at her and pulled her close.
"Well, we have an advantage tonight then, wouldn't you say? We have two bedrolls and two cloaks along with two warm bodies to keep each other company." Delia giggled as she raced him inside the blankets.
The two held each other close, and their bedroll warmed quickly. As sleep started to overtake them, a soft whine carried through the tent flap. Alistair pushed it open and found Griffon looking at them sadly.
"Are you cold, Griffon?" Delia asked the hound. The dog answered with a whine and a shiver. "All right then, come in and get warm with us."
Alistair frowned. "Do we have to have company? I really don't want to share you, you do know that."
"I know, love, but he is my dog now, and it just seems wrong to make him sleep elsewhere."
"What about with Trent? I'm certain he's cold and would appreciate the company."
Griffon looked at Delia and whined again. "It's your choice, Griff. I have no problem with you sleeping here with us, but I would stay on my side of the bedroll if I were you."
The dog circled around three times and settled down next to Delia. She pulled the top blanket over the hound, earning an exuberant tail wag from him. The three quickly fell asleep, with Delia appreciating having warm bodies on either side of her to keep the cold out.
When they woke the first rays of sunlight were just poking over the horizon. Delia forced Alistair out of the bedroll and they spent some time sparring before breakfast. Aeden rushed the group through the meal as he wanted to reach Redcliffe Castle as soon as possible. The party quickly packed the camp and started off along the well-worn trails toward the castle.
As they traveled down the road the dogs alerted the wardens to trouble ahead. Aeden sent Zevran and Leliana to find out what troubled the dogs. They returned with news of a small group of bandits. Aeden organized his companions into groups. The first group had Alistair, Oghren, Wynne and Shale. They would travel down the road as if they had no idea the bandits lay in wait. Aeden took Sten, Morrigan, Zevran and Leliana to flank the bandits. Trent and Delia were left with the horses and cart, and the two dogs were used as messengers.
The battle went exactly as Aeden planned, and the bandits were quickly dispatched. Aeden noticed that their group was far better armored than any typical bandits or mercenaries, so he kept the one who seemed to be their leader alive to question him. The man refused to answer anything Aeden asked, but when Delia approached his attitude suddenly seemed to change.
"Ah, so Lady Loren does travel with you wardens." He leered at her. "Too bad I won't be able to do anything about that."
"And why are you so interested in Lady Loren?" Aeden grew concerned. "Were you hired to find her?"
"And what if I was? Fat lot a' good it'll you." The bandit laughed. "Not like it'll stop him whether we get her or we don't."
"Who is after her?" Alistair's face flared with anger. "Speak up or I'll give my friend, the Crow, permission to use whatever means necessary to make you speak."
The bandit sneered at him. "And just what would talking get for me? It's death for me, one way or another."
"Well then, you can earn a chance to survive by telling us. Otherwise you'll definitely die." Aeden moved closer to the man, his blade placed menacingly close to his throat.
"You'd let me go?" The man thought for a second. "Do you give me your word?"
"Yes, you have my word, but you will answer all of our questions first. We will release you only when we are satisfied that we have all the information you can give to us."
"Agreed then. I was hired by Teryn Howe to find Lady Loren and return her to him."
Alistair was caught off guard. "Howe? Why does he want her?"
"I'm not exactly sure why, but he's been lookin' for her for a long time. Said something about her being a match for his son, but the way he laughed when he said it made the hair go up on the back of my neck. He's had people looking all over Ferelden, but we got a tip from a merchant that she was in Orzammar, so we were heading there."
"How many others are looking for her?" Aeden probed.
"I don't know exactly. I know of at least two other groups, but where they are now, Maker only knows."
Delia walked up behind the man and put her hand on his shoulder. "Do you have a family – anyone you care about?"
As the man answered about his wife and children, Delia used her gift to determine if what he said was true. He was indeed one of Howe's soldiers, but the man actually was disgusted by the newly named Teryn. Being a soldier was something he tried to perform with honor, but Howe had been acting more malicious with every passing year. The soldier knew how Howe had gained his new title, and he hated the man for his cruel and brutal ways. Only his fear for his family kept him in the Teryn's employ, and he worried constantly for their safety.
"You should send word for your family to meet you elsewhere – perhaps the Free Marches. Howe will not accept you back, not after you've failed in your mission, and we cannot protect your family for you or it will put them into greater danger," Delia stated bluntly.
"You really intend to let me go?" The man seemed truly surprised.
"We know the ways Howe gets what he wants. Don't follow us and find your way out of the country. If we cross paths again we may not be so generous." Aeden declared as he removed his sword from his throat.
The soldier ran away from them as fast as he could, leaving the wardens perplexed and worried. "Let's discuss this later, once we are safely in the castle. Right now I think we need warmth and a good, hot meal." Aeden led them back to their horses, and pushed their speed as he tried to make up the lost time.
When the gates to the castle were finally within sight in the early afternoon, Delia started to feel very nervous. Not only was she reeling from the attack on their group, but she didn't want to face Eamon or Teagan. She dreaded seeing Teagan the most because he wasn't a man to give up on something he wanted, and Delia was afraid he still intended to try to win her over. Alistair wouldn't appreciate Teagan's advances on his wife, even if they needed to maintain the façade of being simply wardens on the same mission.
As they entered the gates her fears were realized. The guards had sent word of their arrival to the Arl, and as they pulled their mounts up to the stairs Teagan rushed out from the castle doors.
"You're back! Maker be praised!" Teagan nearly shouted as he ran up to Delia's horse. As she dismounted, Teagan caught her waist and immediately turned her around to face him, embracing her and leaning in for a kiss.
Instead of the feel of her lips against his own, he received a slap in the face. Alistair tried to bolt over to force the Bann to release his wife, but Aeden stopped him with a hand to his arm. If looks could kill, Delia's glare would have made Teagan drop immediately.
"How dare you, Bann Teagan! I will not allow you to man-handle me. I am a Grey Warden recruit, and you would best remember that. Your behavior is very unbecoming to a man of your station. Release me and do not touch me again."
His hands dropped from her waist and he took a step backward. "I am truly sorry if I have insulted you, my lady. I am truly… relieved that you are home safe and sound."
Her reply came out in an angry hiss. "First, I am a Grey Warden recruit. You may either call me Warden or Delia, but I am no longer a noble. Second, this is not, nor has it ever been my home. Now, if you will excuse me, Bann Teagan."
Delia handed the reins of her horse to the stable hand and walked over to the two wardens, giving Alistair a quick wink. He relaxed a bit and followed Aeden as he led the group into the castle, leaving a very confused Teagan in the yard. Arl Eamon was waiting for them in the Main Hall, and Aeden wanted to get the initial meeting over with so that he could talk to his friends privately. Somehow he didn't think anything would be easy for them.